Too beautiful to lie
by evilcats
Summary: Lying is just a game to Hermione. Toying with people is a simple amusement to her. Having the goodgirl image is a perfect facade in this game. Draco doesn't know how far she'll go for revenge, or if she'll ever stop.
1. Won't let you trick me twice

Won't let you trick me twice

He pathetically attempted to wave down yet another taxi. It drove right past and maybe purposely drove into a puddle, splashing him in the face. Frustrated, he wiped off the dirty water with his wet coat sleeve. The rain decided to heavier in spite of him and made his clothes sag down adding on to the weight of his coat.

His luggage was sadly soaking up water in large puddles at his feet. He tried to lift his arm again but he was dead tired and his arm was heavy. The taxi didn't stop anyway.

A car indicated right, and he sighed with relief. He had been out there for half an hour, and a random car was better than the non-existent taxi.

The red car stopped a metre in front of him and he stumbled forward happily. The window rolled down.

"Well, this would be one of the last places I'd expect to see you here Malfoy" a voice said humorously

Draco squinted, unable to see the driver with the rain in his eyes. And then it hit him "Shit. Granger what the fuck are you doing here."

"Malfoy, it's not nice to swear." She disciplined "And be sure to mind your language if you want a ride, especially with my little girl in the back."

Nodding to the backseat.

Draco absentmindedly glanced to the back.

There was a small girl with light brown hair in the back in a booster seat. Sleeping peacefully and looking very innocent indeed.

"Wha-"

"Well, need a ride or what?" She said cutting him off. He nodded slowly and gathered his luggage from a metre back, then jumped into the front seat.

"You are really soaked. Making puddles in my car" She mumbled and indicated left. There was a lapse of long silence and the only sounds were from the over-worked windscreen wipers.

"So, uhm. Is she your..."

"Hm?"

"Is she your daughter or something?" He said quickly. Hermione looked dumbfounded for a few seconds, and realised he was talking about the young girl in the back. She bit her lip sadly.

"Oh Kira. Yes she is. Um..." She paused to clear her throat and continued with a heartbreaking voice. "She's going on three now. I couldn't bear to give her up... it just wouldn't be fair to kill her just because of...him"

The car stopped at the red lights and Hermione buried her face in her hands, as if trying not to remember. She peeked at Draco quickly through her fingers. He was looking at her regretfully, like he wished he never asked, yet very still very eagerly.

The lights turned green. Hermione quickly put her hands on the wheel, drove forward then turned left to stop at a cute little house. Hermione sighed and got out, opening an umbrella as she did. Curious as ever, Draco watched her as she ran up to the door of the house, and a woman emerged. She nodded. They both ran towards the car and opened the back door.

Draco restrained himself from his curiosity and looked straight ahead. He saw the woman holding 'Kira' in her arms under the umbrella leaving Hermione drenching out in the rain. Kira had her eyes open and stared at Draco as the walked back to the house. Draco watched her, confused and sad. Hermione opened the car door and slipped in.

"All done," She wiped her face from the rain. "Where to Mr. Malfoy?"

"Who was that woman?" he asked tonelessly, trying to not sound too interested.

Hermione remained silent for a few minutes. Draco didn't realise she was on the verge of a laughing fit until he turned to look at her.

"Jeez, what' so funny" he said spitefully.

Hermione coughed then looked him seriously straight in the eye. Then burst out laughing.

"Why is this subject so damn funny to you? Isn't this supposed to be hurtful?"

"Oh- I ha-ha... Malfoy you actually..." She regained her composure yet couldn't stop a few random giggles "I was joking! I'm her babysitter!"

"What! Didn't you say you were..."

"Yeah, I was kidding. Aw c'mon, I tricked you once, don't think I can trick you twice" She said encouragingly at the sight of his face.

"That's not a very nice thing to joke about Granger" He said. "I thought you were..." he trailed off when he found he was sounding a bit too concerned.

"Wow. This coming from Draco Malfoy. Possible spawn of the devil himself. I can't believe you're giving me a pep talk on inappropriate things." She said smirking

"And I can't believe Miss. prissy mudblood Gryffindor is telling me off for telling her off for her joking about inappropriate things." He mumbled.

She didn't reply. And finally, "So, where am I taking you?" obviously changing the subject.

He had pissed off the driver, which was not a good thing. He thought about it. He didn't have anywhere to go.

"Well?" She said again.

"I don't have anywhere to go" He said quietly, hoping she wouldn't hear him.

Hermione didn't understand and stared at him, confused. "Why not?"

"I...killed my mother and I'm on the run"


	2. Ron Weasley has perfect teeth

Ron Weasley has perfect teeth

Hermione still stared at him blankly. His eyes were fixated on the invisible thing on his lap. After a long silence, she let out a long sigh and started the car. The sudden movement made him jump in his seat.

"Where are you taking me" He said hoarsely.

"The only thing I can think of" She said sternly. Fifteen minutes from their last location, she stopped at her driveway.

Draco almost snorted. Out of all the places she decided to take a killer, and it was her own home.

They both got out, leaning against the wet car and examined it. It was small, almost cute, and very plain. It hadn't stopped raining, but it wasn't so heavy, only a light drizzle.

"I don't know why I should be helping you" she said coldly, pushing her wet fringe back between her fingers. "After all you've put everyone through I don't see any reason to trust you"

"I didn't ask for your help" He said, just as coldly, adverting any eye contact.

"Yes you did." He looked at her, confused. "As soon as you got into my car. And unlike you Mr. Malfoy, I find joy in helping defenceless men like yourself"

He opened his mouth to argue, but thought better of it.

That's what I thought you said" She smirked. "Well, are you coming in or what?" She skipped to the front door, and he reluctantly followed her obediently into the house.

Actually, he thought better of her plan to take him here. Who would suspect an ex-death eater murderer in a mudblood Gryffindor's house?

The interior of the house was like she never grew up. Her growth chart was still stuck to the wall and scribbles which were supposed to be mummy and daddy were plastered everywhere.

She leaned over to whisper in his ear. "Sorry about the deco" probably sensing his judging of it. "My mum likes to pretend I'm still three"

He smirked at this remark. His mother always pretended he was never there. Draco felt a twinge of jealously, but vanished when Hermione's mother came in.

"Oh honey, you're finally home!" She said, sounding overly concerned. Hermione's mother was about a head shorter than her, but he could see the resemblance. Their hair and eyes were exactly the same. Hermione's hair wasn't as bushy and large as it used to be as it seemed Granger hair tamed and curled with age. But it was exactly the same. Same brown. Same thickness. Same style and length...

As Draco was lost in thought about why their hair was so alike, Hermione was receiving a lecture about coming home on time. It was only three thirty. After this lecture, Hermione got a bear-hug. Draco had moved on to the uncanny resemblance of their eyes when Hermione's mother spied him in the shadows of the doorway.

"Who is this?" She asked Draco.

"My boyfriend," She said casually, a little too quickly though. "The one I've been telling you about"

"Oh. Didn't you have red hair last time?"

"…"

Hermione held back a smile. "No, that was Draco. He's the one with red hair. This is Ron Weasley." She winked at him.

"Ooh. I see. Yes, Draco's the mean one" She said, slowly walking closer to him.

"…"

"You take good care of her." She said sternly, and then leaned in closer to his face. Draco backed away slightly. "You do have quite nice teeth if I may say so Ron. Unlike that friend of yours Hermione. Draco, did you say his name was? Yes, the one with red hair."

Hermione was suppressing giggles under her hand.

"Would you like a sugar free mint?" She asked, shoving a bowl of mints to him. "You take good care of your teeth. I expect your care of teeth reflect the way you are in relationships." After another few minutes of inspecting his teeth, she nodded at him in approval and briskly walked away, but leaned in to Hermione, whispering quite loudly, "He's a good one. Fantastic teeth. I'll leave you two alone."

And she was gone.

"Ron. Weasley."

She grinned. "Don't worry; we're not going out anymore."

"Ron. Weasley."

"I hope you realise that as long as you're here, your name will be Ron Weasley. You know, it's a damn good thing she has the worst memory."

"Ron Weasley" He said muttering it under his breath as if it was a curse word. "Out of all the people, why did it have to be him?"

"Because he asked me, I said yes, I broke up with him. Over. It didn't change our friendship if that's what the face is for. Now, sit down in the living room. Actually, we could call it your room now." She said cheerily.

She turned to go into the living room…or his room as she so wonderfully put it.

This was so degrading. He was staying in a mud blood's living room as Weasley. He said goodbye to a life of luxury last night. Was it the right choice? Of course it was. Or else he'd be living a lie.

"Ron! Rooonn…"

"…" Draco hung his head sadly and went into the living room with no comment.

a.n: I forgot to say that I don't own Harry Potter etc etc. And, this story was inspired by a Korean movie called 'Too beautiful to lie' and I expect my story will be very loosely based on it. Very loosely. Maybe. BTW Lets just pretend the legal age for doing magic is after you get out of school, k? Good good. Thanks to my very first reviewer. You rock! Let me say that Hermione's parents are very much marginalised in the book, and JK portrays them as very quiet and reserved. I based Hermione's mother on my dentist, who is awful chipper. It's a good thing. Can some tell me if this story sucks, because then I'll stop writing.


	3. Stalemate

Stalemate

Hermione lay in her bed that night, letting all the days events run like movie through her head. It was just a normal day. Just ordinary day. She had a side job of looking after Kira for the afternoon, then dropping her off. They went shopping. Kira has an unusual talent for picking out clothes. For a six year old. Then they were on their way home when Hermione saw a man on the side of the road. They looked like a drowned rat in the gutter, but Hermione felt sorry for him He obviously could not find a taxi. But, on closer inspection, it seemed to be Draco Malfoy.

Mr. Malfoy recently had his name cleared for the events at Hogwarts by his mother, who insists he was under the Imperius curse. Pray to God she was right. But he was let of and allowed to continue at Hogwarts for his final year. What he was doing on the side of the road with a lot of suitcases was unknown to her, but she was willing to give him a hard time, in spite of him.

It turned out he had killed his mother and was on the run. Why he told her that was a mystery to her, but he wouldn't have admitted it if he wasn't feeling remorse. Maybe it was an accident. Or maybe it wasn't. And if she did try to hand him over to the police, he'd probably get to her first. He couldn't do magic, or else the ministry would track him down, but he could still attack her… With Voldemort rising, they could find him easily. And kill him easily too. So many questions passed through her head. It was a spur of the moment decision, but she decided to take him back to her house and sort him out there. She could take a risk. If he made a move, she'd blast him.

_Thud thud thud…_

What was that noise? Hermione was interrupted from her trail of thoughts and went to go investigate.

Draco paced Hermione's living room with heavy footsteps. He couldn't go back to school. He couldn't. After everything that happened, even though his mother cleared his name, what would happen? What would everyone think? What would happen to him? Draco pulled his hair in frustration then dropped down heavily on the couch bed. He looked up to see Hermione creeping through the door.

"Oh shit – sorry, I forgot you're staying in here. Can't sleep, huh?"

Draco bit his tongue, still thinking about his next move and didn't respond to Hermione's entrance.

"Are you ok?" She said, concerned, slowly edging towards him.

Draco sighed heavily. "I don't know what to do with myself. I'm confused at what I should do…I…"

Hermione frowned and sat down next to him on the edge of the bed. The bed sagged some more. He prepared himself for a consoling session.

"Look, I don't know why you did it, or why I'm helping you at all and I don't know why I'm letting you stay in my house, but I think" She paused to think about how she should put it, as if it confused her herself. "Fate brought you here, and we should just see where this takes us. Maybe our meeting will lead us to the answer"

Draco almost snorted but managed to suppress it. "I agree entirely"

She let out a long breathy sigh. "Well, I feel much better, don't you? I know it was a strange talk. I saw a seminar on it with my mum" she said brightly. "Speaking of my mother, she will kill me if she catches us alone. Goodnight. Try and sleep, we are going to have such fun tomorrow!"

Draco didn't like the sound of that. And what else could he do. He was stuck for the while. In a ditch. He needed her for temporary survival. Life had him at a stalemate.

---

"Good morning, good morning! We talked the whole night through good morning, good morning to yoooouu"

Draco pulled the covers over his head and loathed her stupid common muggle musical song for waking him up.

"C'mon, we are going to have such fun today"

"Can't I sleep for longer…?"

She responded to his feeble question by whipping of the covers. Draco squeaked.

"Ok, ok I'm up." He said weakly, curling into a foetal position.

----

"Now don't you take that blindfold of… ok… down, yea…Almost there. Oh so close… YES! We're here!"

Hermione undid his blind fold. The place smelt oddly familiar to him.

"Ta-da!"

Draco was slightly dazed at the light, but no one could not guess where they were. It was the hairdressers. Draco's eyes widened in realisation.

"No." He said flatly. Hermione grinned "No, no NO!" His hands flew protectively to his platinum blonde hair. "You can't, its who I am!" He moaned.

"That's the most pathetic thing I've ever heard. And that's why you need to get it coloured. It's who you are. People will recognise you with that hair."

Draco was about to walk away but the next moment he was pinned to the chair.

Draco was about to cry. His beautiful silvery blondness had turned into a flaming orange. One that was quite similar to a certain someone he hated quite dearly.

"That turned out well." A girl said from behind him. He glanced at her through the mirror. She had his hair colour, well his old hair colour. A shimmery, sleek white blonde. Wait a second. The girl looked oddly like Hermione, with a devilish smirk. It was Hermione with a devilish smirk.

"Do you like it? I like yours _Ron Weasley_" She said grinning and fluffing her hair. Not that was possible. It went back to its same perfect form.

Draco's eye twitched. "I hate you. I think this is just some sick perverted game that your running just so you can pretend I'm Weasley just so you can pretend to spend time with him." He said, trying to keep his voice from rising to high.

"I thought it brings out my eyes too!" She said shrilly avoiding his remark. Draco continued to look sullenly at his hair. "Oh its not going to change with you staring at it all day. Now c'mon, we have other things to do."

----

"I hate you." He said when they arrived at their destination.

"Oh stop being so pessimistic. I love carnivals. No one I know likes going with me," She twirled around, letting the lights blur around her in a whirlpool of exuberance. I wonder why, Draco thought."I can test out my new blondness to. They're supposed to have more fun you know"

"And redheads have the tendency of getting VERY angry easily." He said annoyed

"Shut up and lets go!" She said, grabbing him by the wrist and dragging him along. They were one person off from getting on the Ferris wheel, when…

"Draco Malfoy?" Someone said, their voice laced with uncertainty. Oh shit, he thought. He shot a glance of urgency towards Hermione. She reflected it. They both looked straight forward, then unexpectedly Hermione grabbed his hand and they swiftly weaved through the crowd to the parking lot.

"Hey! You there! Draco? Stop!" Said the voice again, a little distant.

Both of them dared to turn around. Hermione picked up her speed, trying her best not to look conspicuous, but failing, as they were practically running away from a person, still trying to catch up.

The car was in sight, Hermione fumbled for her keys, but bizarrely managed to get them in and she slid into the car. Draco squeezed through to the other side of the car, but to Hermione's demise, he tripped and fell. She heard his body graze against the harsh gravel ground.

"Fucking shit" She said loudly. "Draco get the fuck up!"

Hermione glanced back through her mirror. The person was getting closer. Hermione heard the car door open, and from the ground, Draco dragged himself onto the seat. Hermione started the car, but it stalled. She was breathing heavily, and the pressure was taking its toll. She tried again.

**WHACK –**

Was heard from the back, like someone pounding on the car window. Hermione almost jumped out of her skin, but she started the car, and shot out, leaving the man. Tall, dark tanned man standing in their parking space. He was staring straight at Draco as they sped out. It was Blaise Zabini.

**_A/N:_** That was a very strange and disjointed chapter indeed. Like me at the moment. I'm on holiday you see, right after finishing all my wack assignments and have gone crazy with boredom and my fancy new curling iron. And writer's block, you've got to give a little credit to that. I couldn't figure out what to do in this chapter, but to taunt and torture poor icky Ron – I mean Draco a little more. And I had to MAME him! BUHAHA. HAHA. And exactly what was Blaise doing there anyways? You'll have to find out… next time on… Too beautiful to lie… You and me both.

Hermione and Draco seemed a bit out of character huh. Then again, their true personalities are never disclosed, as in the book they are severely marginalised! So my imagination is as free as the north wind, to run free, letting nothing, and no one hold me down.

Hermione's a little uppity, wild and demanding probably with everything that's been going on, she just needs a break from herself or just like before the great depression, when everyone just lived life like one big party right after the war, however, that lead to dire things. Her attitude to life right now is a big difference from her usual conservativeness, but I bet as soon as she gets to school it leaves her. Like the north wind.

Draco is a bit of a push over at the moment, letting Hermione's bossiness rule him a bit, but he has gone through an emotional rough patch, and he needs Hermione, and if he stepped out of line she'd be on him like bees on honey (I'm just being weird) AND he usually has his Slytherin posse with him. SO Hermione's free to wrap him around her little finger for now. He too, when back at school will probably resume his post as Slytherin god. Whatever that means.


	4. Fucking Hell Malfoy

"Fucking Hell Malfoy," Hermione stated when they arrived back home. She proceeded to get out of the car, but before pausing and addressed him. "You better sit here, stay put and shut up, or my wand will be blasting your ass from here to Antarctica."Hermione slid out of the car and took a long hard sigh. Then entered the house, with the scary foreboding mother inside.

Draco was in pain. His ankle was killing him. That short fall seemed to have caused more damage than he would have expected. He cursed Blaise for this. Why the hell was he at an insignificant muggle fair anyway? Draco's pondering was cut short by the pain shooting up his leg. He winced and restrained himself from calling out to Hermione to hurry the hell up.She turned up at the car, about half an hour later, her arms laden with his, and obviously her luggage.  
"Going on a holiday are we?" He shouted, trying to turn around to the boot, but causing his ankle to move. He hissed in pain.  
Hermione stepped into the car. "Just sit tight"  
Two houses down, she stopped and got out. Draco forgot about his pain for a few seconds to contemplate her weirdness. She drove their luggage two houses down. But for what?  
"Whose house is that?"  
"My friend's. I was house sitting as well"  
"How many things do you sit during the summer holidays anyway." He said dully. She ignored him and proceeded to help him out. His face screwed up in pain.  
"Malfoy, is it really that bad, that fall was puny." She leant down to inspect it. It was a little swollen, but that's all. She sighed. She couldn't take him to the hospital. He'd just have to endure her healing skills. Without magic.

She was astonished how exactly she got him onto the couch in the living room without too much drama, not taking into account his constant cursing and shouts of pain. She wiped off the sweat off her forehead with her sleeve and slowed her panting.  
"I think you've just got a sprained ankle you know, I don't think it's even that bad. And you better shut up or else the whole neighbourhood will think I'm killing someone in here"  
"Well you're not the one with the broken bones now are you?"  
"You are known to exaggerate injuries you know" She said slyly. Draco opened his mouth to argue back, but he didn't know what to say for once. It was kind of true.  
"This could very well be a case of 'the boy who cried wolf,' maybe I should throw you out on the street and see what happens."  
"Don't apply my life to stupid muggle stories Granger"  
"This hair colour really is getting to you. You are a bit feistier now" She said, poking him in the shoulder.  
"Oi, stop it!" He said, weakly trying to swat away her finger. She continued, until Draco caught her finger. He glared into her playful eyes. She pulled away and stood up to enter the kitchen. "Since it's just a sprained ankle, all you have to do is lay there for a few days." She came back with a pack of frozen peas and carefully removed his shoes and socks. His ankle did look quite swollen. "Just leave the peas on for about 20 minutes. I'll be back." She got up again and left.

"Should I trust you with my broken leg?" He said, whilst she tinkered around his ankle  
"Firstly, I have taken a first aid course, and secondly, it's a sprained ankle. Get over it." She said while bandaging his foot. "And I'm training to be a medi witch" She said proudly, grinning maliciously. "And you'd be my third patient"  
"I won't ask what happened to them" He muttered. She slammed down a glass of water and two aspirin tablets on the coffee table. "Shut up and take that"  
He feebly tried to lift his arms. "My arms aren't working"She groaned in frustration  
"You are insufferable. Really." She grabbed the pills off the table and tried to drop the tablets into his slightly open mouth, but had to touch her fingers his mouth to push the pills in. The touch of her fingers to his lips made his heart beat quicken. 'Probably from the proximity of her.' He thought quickly 'Nothing else'  
"I don't know why I should be looking after you" She slid her hand under his head lifted gently so she could pour water into his mouth with her other hand. He didn't take his eyes of her as she concentrated on not dripping any of the liquid. A drop slid down his chin and she subconsciously wiped it gently with her finger. After a lingering moment, she was suddenly aware of the intimacy of her actions, she withdrew her hands, making his head drop heavily back on the pillow.  
'Ow' He thought.  
She shot up and tidied the already immaculate surrounding area and sat down on an armchair opposite to him, sighing in completion or defeat and closed her eyes.  
"I'm hungry" Draco stated, shifting to face her.  
"Hi Hungry, I'm Hermione" She said teased while rubbing her temples. He chucked a pillow at her face at her lame comment.  
"Hey, uncalled for." She smiled. "Weren't your arms not working just a minute ago?"

A/n: Wowza, its been so long. Well, I've had sooo many assignments, orals, and exam weeks… I'm so pooped. BUT NOW! I'M ON HOLIDAYS! School has ended (Finally) and I'm soon to go on holiday to Germany. Time for extreme staying-up-late-edness and getting-up-till-3pm-ness...


End file.
